Keith
Well-Known Member
My first was September 11. I remember the day in explicit detail. I was in high school at the time, just starting my sophomore year. I was sitting down to have breakfast, eggs and toast. I turned on the TV and noticed it was the news. I was just about to switch to cartoons or something when I noticed the towers smoking. I called Mom into the room and it was then that we saw the second plane. All the classrooms with TVs had it on. I watched the coverage until it gave me anxiety. I didn't learn about the Pentagon attack or the other buildings until college.
Regarding Katrina, I always feel sorry for those in the southeast, around the gulf, and in the Mid Atlantic. They have to deal with hurricanes annually. I had no idea for a long time how devastating Katrina actually was. The fact that the Superdome was nearly destroyed really shocked me.
Columbia was a major shock for me as I always thought the Space Shuttle was cool since it could be reused (I was sad when it was retired). I'm way too young to remember the Challenger disaster.
The Japanese earthquake and tsunami happened just as I was finishing up at UC Santa Cruz. I was worried there would be a tsunami on the California coast as they were finding Japanese debris on the shoreline. It also damaged their nuclear power plants, which I was also worried about since the radiation could also end up here. There shouldn't have been a positive side effect, but there was...for...me. The IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Japan at Twin Ring Motegi was next on their schedule. Since the usual oval was damaged by the earthquake, the race was moved on short notice to the road course normally used for motorcycles. I'm a road racing fan so that gave me another Indy race to watch. Coincidentally, that was the last Indy race ever held in Japan.
Most other disasters I find shocking, but not as much as the above. These are the only ones that truly affected my life forever.
Regarding Katrina, I always feel sorry for those in the southeast, around the gulf, and in the Mid Atlantic. They have to deal with hurricanes annually. I had no idea for a long time how devastating Katrina actually was. The fact that the Superdome was nearly destroyed really shocked me.
Columbia was a major shock for me as I always thought the Space Shuttle was cool since it could be reused (I was sad when it was retired). I'm way too young to remember the Challenger disaster.
The Japanese earthquake and tsunami happened just as I was finishing up at UC Santa Cruz. I was worried there would be a tsunami on the California coast as they were finding Japanese debris on the shoreline. It also damaged their nuclear power plants, which I was also worried about since the radiation could also end up here. There shouldn't have been a positive side effect, but there was...for...me. The IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Japan at Twin Ring Motegi was next on their schedule. Since the usual oval was damaged by the earthquake, the race was moved on short notice to the road course normally used for motorcycles. I'm a road racing fan so that gave me another Indy race to watch. Coincidentally, that was the last Indy race ever held in Japan.
Most other disasters I find shocking, but not as much as the above. These are the only ones that truly affected my life forever.
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